Clasp for watch bracelets



May 19;1925.

WITNESSES Filed Sept. 23, 1924 INVENTOR Ewes FJfa y BY M) ATTORNEYS Patented May 19, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLASP FOR WATCH BRACELETS.

Application filed September 23, 1924. Serial No. 739,376.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. KAY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of South Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Clasp for Watch Bracelets, of which the following is a description.

In wrist watches, the loops on the watches at opposite sides to be engaged by the brace let vary in size with various makes of watches and the trade is required to carry a plurality of clasps to be applied to the watch bracelet to hook onto the loops on the watch so that the clasps accord with the size of the loops.

The general object of my invention is to provide a clasp for watch bracelets readily adjustable to present varying widths whereby the clasp may be made to suit any size watch loop.

The means whereby the stated object and others as will appear are attained will be readily understood as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a watch and fragments of a bracelet equipped with my improved clasps shown in engagement with the watch loops;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan View of one of the clasps, the pivot being in section;

Figure 3 is a partly sectional side elevation as indicated by the line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front View of one of the clasps.

In the illustrated example of my invention, the letter A indicates a' wrist watch; a the usual loops at opposite sides or ends thereof; and B, fragments of a watch bracelet.

In accordance with my invention, I provide clasps to engage the ends of the bracelet B with the loops a. Each clasp comprises two side arms 11 pivotally connected at one end as at 12 so that the said arms may swing sidewise toward each other to vary the distance between the arms. A spring 13 is given a coil form about the pivot 12 and presents arms bearing against the side flanges 10 on the arms tending to maintain the arms separated to the maximum extent. On the outer free end of each arm the material of the same is inturned to provide a hook 14, the bill of which lies at the inner side of the arm and parallel with the general plane thereof. Associated with the hooks 14 are flat springs 15 after the manner of snaphooks so that the hooks of the two arms of the clasp may be snapped into engagement with the loop a.

In order to cover the space between the arms at all times and prevent the formation of a visible gap therebetween, I provide on one arm 11 or on each arm 11, a lateral wing 16 which extends from the integral or other rigid connection with one arm toward and overlapping the other arm. As shown in Figure 3 each arm has a wing, the one wing being designated 16 and the other 116.

With the described construction the pivots 12 are utilized to connect the clasp at one end with the ends of the bracelet b as seen in Figures 1 and 3. The arms 11 in order to engage the same with the loops at on a watch are pressed toward each other to vary the distance between the arms and bring the hooks 14L sidewise toward each other to whatever extent may be necessary to permit said hooks to snap into engagement with the loops A.

With the described device it becomes unnecessary to carry in stock a plurality of clasps of different sizes since the one clasp can be adjusted to suit any given size of loop on the particular watch.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. V

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A clasp for use on a watch bracelet to connect the same with the loops of a wrist watch, said clasp including side arms pivotally connected at one end, and a spring acting on said arms tending to spread the same, said arms having the material thereof at their free ends returned at the under side to form hooks disposed with. their side edges toward each other and with the bills of the hooks parallel with each other, the terminals of the hooks being disposed in the direction of the pivot ends of said arms, said spring; permitting the movement of the arms toward each other to vary the distance be tween said hooks.

2. A clasp for use on a watch braclet to connect the same with the loops of a wrist watch, said clasp including side arms pivotally connected at one end, and a spring acting on said arms tending to spread the same, said arms having the material thereof at their free ends returned at the under side to form hooks disposed edgewise toward each other, said spring permitting the movement of the arms toward each other to vary the distance between said hooks; together with a wing rigid with one arm and overlappn ig the other arm: to bridge the gap therebetween.

3'. A clasp of the ind cated character comprising arms pivotedat one' end and spring 20 pressed, and snaphooks at the inner sides of said arms at the free ends thereof adapted to snap into engagement with watch loops of various sizes by varying the distance between said arms and hooks ;v together with a wing on one arm and extending toward, the other armto bridge the gap between the arms.

JAMES ROBERT KAY. 

